Kylie Donnolley

Name: Kylie Donnolley
Occupation: School Counsellor and director of whatagirlneeds.com.au

A school counsellor and Director/Owner of www.whatagirlneeds.com.au, Kylie is one busy girl juggling all that plus three kids. She is passionate about helping teens realise their strengths and encouraging them to make positive choices.

Who was your role model/s when you were a teen?
While I didn't realise it at the time (or wouldn't admit it!) my most powerful role model was my mother.

How did your role model/s help you?
My mum set a great example of how to live a healthy and positive life and how to balance family and work commitments skilfully.

What role or influence do you think role models have?
Role models have the power to influence others. They can inspire and motivate individuals by their actions.

What were some of the issues you faced as a teen?
As a teen I didn't face many issues out of the ordinary. I guess one thing I had to work on was learning to say "no" confidently and not feeling the need to apologise for not wanting to engage in a particular behaviour or make an excuse.

How did you overcome these issues?
Gradually, as I became more confident with who I was and that my morals and views were just as important and valid as anybody elses, I could say "no" or state my opinion more confidently without apologising for it.

What do you remember most about being a teen?
I remember having a great time down at the beach with my friends and spending entire days hanging out without too many responsibilities. I didn't realise then how special that time was!

What qualities do you think you possess that have helped you succeed in your chosen field?
As a counsellor, it is important to be compassionate and have a genuine care for people. You also need to be able to relate to people and communicate effectively. I also enjoy problem solving and helping people to generate possible solutions to different situations.

Outside of career success, what is it that you are most proud of?
Without a doubt, I am most proud of my children! Every little thing they do makes me feel proud!

Do you undertake activities to help others/community?
The website I run is specifically aimed to help girls in the community. This was important to me because through the information I put on the website, I can potentially assist many more girls in our community than I would ever meet. I also teach a church Sunday School class for Kindy kids. This is great fun.

Your advice to youths about realising their own potential...
Young people need to identify their personal strengths and learn how to enhance these. It is important not to compare yourself to others or feel like you need to be something different. A part of realising your own potential is about accepting both your own strengths and weaknesses.

The other part of realising your own potential that is important is developing your dreams and goal setting. It requires motivation, focus and determination to set and achieve goals.

Further, learning how to accept mistakes as a part of the learning/growing experience is vitally important.

When it comes to how you live your life, what are the most important factors/values?
It is important to be honest and respect others. In addition, living a healthy life helps so much with feeling good and being productive so it's important to eat well, exercise, get enough sleep, etc.